Magical Secrets at Sea: Hogwarts Years
by Erephen
Summary: Sequel to "Magical Secrets at Sea" by digisammiegirl! The whole wizarding world is waiting for their Savior to arrive and vanquish the darkness once and for all. They can't be prepared for a budding Pirate Lord, blessed by the Sea Goddess herself, and raised by the two most infamous pirates ever. HPxPotC crossover. T for safety. No pairings yet. Will heavily diverge from canon!
1. Chapter 1

Hello there! Welcome to the first chapter of the sequel to "Magical Secrets at Sea", written by wonderful digisammiegirl! I adopted this continuation from Older Than Time, as you most probably know already. I'm sorry it took me that long to post anything, this chapter was supposed to be up much earlier, but my beloved laptop died on me before I could do so. I lost quite a lot of data because of that, including this fanfic. The external HDD proved to be a bit of a blessing, since I had four and a half chapters stored there plus a document with my musings about the plot and whatnot. So, after I nursed my muse back to health a bit and was given a temporary laptop by one of my siblings, I set to work and... here it is! I hope you all will enjoy the revamped chapter one :)

On another note: because of me still not having a laptop of my own and muse problems, the updates will be irregular, most probably every two weeks. Real life isn't merciful either. I hope you'll understand :)

This chapter was self-betaed, therefore any typos or other mistakes are my own. Further chapters will be monitored by my wonderful, patient beta: **LittleMoonlightLover**!

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing from either HP or PotC worlds, everything belongs to their creators. I only own (partially, my beta owns the rest) the plot of this fanfiction. I gain no money from this, I'm a poor student, so please, don't sic lawyers on me, 'kay?

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**Chapter 1: Pirates, sortings and meetings**

_An (edited) excerpt from the previous story:_

_"Well, well," a gravelly voice sounded out in his head. "Never thought I'd see a pirate of your sort here, Mr. Sparrow. But yes, I see what is going on. Clever. Quite clever. Your goddess is a smart woman, preparing you as she has. Hogwarts hasn't had such a well prepared student in a long time. It will be refreshing to see what you do. And I see you have made a friend already. Yes, Longbottom could use a good friend and vice versa. And what of young Malfoy? Ah yes, yes I see. But now, where to place you? Oh, don't worry, nobody will know what I saw in your mind, lad. Not even our esteemed headmaster will be able to pry any of your secrets out of me. Therefore, let's see..._

_"Hufflepuff is an option. You would do well making loyal friends, yet you might scare a few of them off. Ravenclaw would be good for you with your eagerness for knowledge, yet you would probable drive the others crazy with your pranks: that's a Gryffindor trait, but your cunning would make the other lions wary of you. Slytherin would be a good environment for you to practice, but your adventurous and spontaneous nature would set them all on edge. Any way and I'll have quite a bit of fun watching you, young one. But where to put you?"_

"_Yes, I see. Then you'd better be…"_

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The majority of the hall fell into silence while the Hufflepuff table erupted into cheers. Harry grinned, hopped off the stool and handed the Hat to McGonagall, who was quite surprised, flustered maybe, but the boy filed it for later inspection. He strode to an open spot next to a pretty redhead and her blonde friend, their names escaped him. Something like 'Bons' and 'Abbit'? Nevertheless, he introduced himself, using that Sparrow charm. Both blushed and giggled while the lads around him were excited to have the famous Boy-Who-Lived in the supposed 'House of duffers'. Nothing too eager or overbearing through, but the young pirate had to wonder. Why was it so important which House he ended up in?... oh he knew he was some kind of, what was the name Sara used? 'Celebrity'? Yep, that one. So, he was one here, but why the Houses mattered so much? He had to look into the matter. It could influence his game here, and if he wanted to win, he had to gain as much knowledge about the players as he could.

A quick glance around told Harry that the other... houses... were surprised, if not disappointed with Hat's choice. The Gryffindor table especially, one could almost see the black cloud hanging above the group. Some of the students there were already whispering to each other, throwing a glance here and there at him. The rude redhead from the train, Ron... Wensly? Wezly? Weily? Something like that, was especially enticed, gesturing to himself and to Harry, most probably boasting that he was in the same compartment on the train.

Ravenclaw... well, they were studying him carefully and quite sneakily, he had to admit. He had a feeling they would try to dissect his mind if he gave them a chance, some of the older ones were frowning at his tan and longer hair, as if it was not in accord with their visions. Huh... they could pose a challenge for his wit, and if there was one thing the young pirate would never pass on, it was a challenge. He would have to see what they can offer...

The fourth table, the green and silver one, was much more quiet and collected than the other two (three, including his own). Harry instantly detected some veiled distaste aimed at him, hints of some more unsavory feelings as well, but there was also... consideration. They were... sizing him up. It would seem they were as much shocked by Hat's choice as the Gryffindors, but they hid it far better. Draco, the blonde Harry met twice, was quietly conversing with some of his new friends. When he glanced at the Hufflepuff table and met young pirate's eyes, he held his gaze... and nodded gently, in acknowledgment. Harry smirked slightly and nodded back. Slytherin seemed like a place where power plays were as common as trouble when his dads were around. House for ambitious ones, huh... well, it would seem he would not get bored here. Challenges all around, so much knowledge to gain, allies to find, valuables to... err... discreetly be misplaced into his care, games within games... yes, his mind was whirling with possibilities. But first, he'd have to know the rules of the ultimate game, and for that, he needed to get a sense of the teachers. Speaking of which...

Up at the Head table, the teachers were recovering from their shock. Well, most of them were. The witch that looked as if she spent her time outside a lot looked smug as she collected several galleons from her fellow professors. Harry would have to see what that was about. Another exception was a black-haired, black-robed teacher, who had a glare of the century on his face, as if Harry murdered his entire family or something. Another issue to ponder upon...

"So Harry," the redhead, now known as Susan Bones asked, interrupting his observations. "Why did you change your name? It's supposed to be Potter, not Sparrow." The way she said it sounded very rude.

"Well love," Harry began, pirate brogue on his tongue. "That's a question ye be askin'. Problem is, I'd rath'r not be sayin'. Can't have certain people of… 'higher stations' findin' out too soon, savvy?"

Harry's manner of speech confused Susan. "Savvy?" she asked. "What's that mean?"

"Savvy be savvy, love," Harry said with a rogue-ish smirk. "Means that I be askin' if I be understood, savvy?" Susan blushed the look on Harry's face, but nodded quickly and turned to Hannah, who thought the whole thing was rather funny. Harry turned towards the Headmaster stood, giving out a speech, something to do with 'Forbidden' and 'a most painful death'.

_Well now, I take that as a challenge, gov'na…_

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Harry lay in his bed, pondering the great mysteries that held his soul captive. His 'inner eye' circled the enigma that was at the forefront of his mind.

Back in the Great Hall, he witnessed a great many things that boggled his mind and ensnared his senses. These wizard-folk lived richly, if the golden plates and cutlery was any clue, yet some ate with manners more horrible than those on the Black Pearl. One example, a very disgusting one, was Ronald Weasley (Harry managed to remember his name after some memory jog). He had shared Harry's cabin on the train ride. The lad seemed perfectly normal, just a tad mentally inferior, but upon seeing the grand feast that appeared quite literally out of nowhere, the lad had dived into the meal with such horrendous gusto, that he, Harry, immediately lost his appetite.

Harry had turned his attention back to the Head Table, unable to further watch Weasley's atrocious manners. He observed each professor, taking in their appearances, mannerisms, and suspected level of wealth. Not that he had any plans of stealing the supposed wealth, more like 'liberating' it for those less fortunate… such as the crew back in Tortuga…

_He missed his family of thieves and cutthroats…_

On the far left from his point of view, sat the giant of a man called Hagrid, according to Susan. He was the Gamekeeper of Hogwarts. Probably knew a great deal about the Kraken within the lake.

Next to Hagrid sat a deranged-looking woman covered in shawls and wearing a pair of thick spectacles. The woman would have appeared right at home in the fortune teller's shop on Tortuga. Probably taught fortune telling as well… Next up sat a man who could have worn a hook instead of a hand, as well as replacing his left leg with a pegged one. He was missing bits and pieces of himself, and from the look on his face, his mind as well.

The center portion of the table held three people conversing quietly. The Headmaster Dumbledore, the stern woman McGonagall, and a kind faced healer that seemed out of place. Dumbles and McGonagall would sneak a few glances at Harry every so often. The governor looked slightly put-off, maybe even worried; there was also a hint of disappointment in his eyes. What for, Harry had no clue. McGonagall was no longer surprised, but she too was a bit disappointed and a note of sadness could be seen in her otherwise cool gaze. The healer was clearly checking his physical state, when her eyes fell on his hair she frowned deeply. Oh, he will probably be in trouble for his long hair, Auntie 'Maria mentioned something about posh people who believed men should have only short bangs or something... oh well, one shall see what happens. Good thing he didn't have dreadlocks like his Dad, that would open a new can of worms.

On the healer's left sat a greasy-haired man in black, the one with the death glare, that sneered then appeared deep in thought, switching between each expression. The young pirate knew instinctively that he had to watch out for this man, at least until he found out what made the teacher so hostile towards him. Further down sat a twitchy man that set Harry on edge; the man was hiding something. Harry hoped it was treasure. Just meant more for him to… liberate.

Calmly eating her meal was his Head of House, Professor Sprout was what Hannah called her. She noticed Harry's stare and waved kindly at him. He responded with a grin that was a mix between Jack's roguish smirk and Will's open smile. And next to Sprout sat two women that appeared much younger than the other teachers. Neither Susan nor Hannah knew their names. He'd find out later.

The feast ended quickly with Headmaster dismissing them for bed. The First Years like Harry were directed to follow Professor Sprout to their Common Room. The young buccaneer followed his fellows, Susan and Hannah trailing close behind. They came upon a portrait that made Harry stop in his tracks and just... gape.

_Well I'll be damned…_

"Greetings young Hufflepuffs," it said. "I am Sir Francis Drake and I shall be the guardian to your dormitory for as long as I remain here in this castle." The sailor was somewhat of an idol to Harry, his exploits making him almost as famous as Jack was. Will told him of Sir Drake, having ferried him to the Locker previously. The man was a gentleman pirate, having practically coined the phrase during his adventures.

Professor Sprout addressed the new students in a kind voice, "To enter the Common Room, merely speak the password. It changes every 2 weeks, so make sure you keep track of the changes. The current password is 'Nombre de Dios'." Sir Drake nodded at the phrase and his portrait swung open, revealing an archway that led into the Hufflepuff Common Room. As the group started to move again, Harry had to be gently prodded by Susan to snap out of his fan-worshipping and follow the crowd. The children filed in, standing near the roaring fireplace at the center of the room. There were many soft and lumpy cushions piled around the hearth, giving them ample space to sit.

The room was decorated in earthy colors; browns, tans, and pale yellow surrounded the children. The walls were sparsely decorated, a few torch-holders and a single, unmoving portrait of a woman in her late 40's. She wore a thick fur-lined robe in pale yellow and pitch black. In her hands rested a small golden cup with an animal on it, a badger or hedgehog from what Harry guessed.

"This is the Hufflepuff Common Room," Prof. Sprout announced, gesturing around the room. "Here is where you can relax, spend time with your friends and classmates, and most importantly, study well. This room is your home, your haven. This is where you will always be safe as long as I am the Head of Hufflepuff." She was smiling at each and every student.

"This house will be your family. We take care of each other, united as under one roof and banner. There is an old rivalry between the houses of Hogwarts, but we Hufflepuffs will not take part." She was stern at that phrase. "We follow the teachings of our founder Helga Hufflepuff", she gestured to the unmoving portrait. "She valued hard work and equality in those she taught. We do not cheat or take shortcuts. We buckle down and get the job done. We may not be always brave, or quick-witted, or cunning, but..."

_We may be duffers, but we're a family of duffers…_

Harry was amazed at Prof. Sprout's words and could see everyone taking it to heart. Hufflepuff was gonna be an interesting place for a thieving scoundrel that he was gonna be…

"Well now, why don't we start with few introductions to get to know one another?" inquired Prof. Sprout. The tall blonde boy sitting beside Sprout stood and cleared his throat.

"I'm Cedric Diggory and I'm a Second Year. I'm from a full wizarding family that has been part of Hufflepuff for 4 generations." He sat back down and gestured for the kid on his right to go next. One by one, each First Year stood up, nervously introducing themselves and sat back down quickly. They said their names, likes and dislikes, etc. Every few or so were asked questions by the other students. Finally, it was Harry's turn.

"I be Harry James Turner Sparrow. I be a halfblood that lived in Tortuga." Sprout was baffled by his accent, not recognizing the pirate brogue. "I enjoy da win' an' surf an' sailin' to da horizon. An' a bi' o'gold n'vr hur'." A whole slew of hands flew up, some waving frantically. Harry gestured at Macmillan.

"Why do you speak with that horrid accent?" the sandy-haired boy rudely asked. Sprout made a disapproving sound, but Harry answered anyways.

"Raised in Tortuga; Ev'ryone dere talked like dis," he stated. "Where was I?" Susan whispered that he hadn't said his dislikes yet. "Oh, I 'ate dem fake gold dat dey sell durin' festiv'ls. Dem tourists always be givin' dem to me an' da crew fo' laughs…"

The students, as well as Sprout, were more perplexed by his words. Most were unable to make out what Harry said; the few that could didn't understand why he was given fake coins during festivals. Sprout, however, clapped her hands and sent them off to bed, wishing them a pleasant night.

Cedric pointed out where the students could sleep and headed off to bed himself. Harry and his fellow lads strode into their dorm, 3 beds spaced out around an iron heater.

And we now return to the young buccaneer laying awake, pondering a great mystery. As he fall into a sleep deeper than the sea, he ponders one last time,

_W'ere dos platters gold, or gold plated? I'd rather get me money's worth…_

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And... there it is. New Chapter One! Please read and leave a review! Flames are NOT welcome, constructive criticism IS, very much so. See you in the next chapter!

Erephen


	2. Chapter 2

Hello there! Here's the second chapter :) I know I promised it to be online much, much earlier, but... well, apart from the parts you already know from the first version of this fic, I had to rewrite the potion lesson at least three times to make it flow as I wanted it to. Snape can be very stubborn a character to write, I tell you...

Now, to answer a question that popped up in some of the reviews: no, this will NOT be a Will/Jack slash story. For me, they're more like brothers and best friends, so of course they'll behave like an old couple, but it's because they know each other for so long and so well. Not to say that I'm against slash, anyone who takes time to check my Favorite list will see that I'm in fact quite an avid fan of male/male fanfics ;)

Another issue: I went through my plot outline and decided to edit it quite heavily, so this made chapters 3 and 4 that I had written earlier, obsolete. So I scrapped them and outlined them anew. Now I have to find time to write them, but I believe the next chapter will be up a bit quicker than this one. I don't want to promise anything, though. You're already wonderful to bear with me! *gives homemade chocolate chip cookies to everyone who reviewed/favorited/alerted the fanfic*

Anyhow, to stave off my dear Reviewers who made some absolutely charming suggestions as to what they would do to me if I don't update soon, here's the revamped Chapter Two! I hope you all enjoy it as much as you did Chapter One :)

BETA-ED BY THE AMAZING **LittleMoonlightLover**!

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**Chapter 2 – Pirate meets Potioneer**

The next morning, the First Year lads awoke to find the young pirate long gone.

"Where'd Harry go?" Ernie Macmillan asked Justin Finch-Fletchley. Said boy just shrugged and headed to the loo. Harry was probably already at breakfast. Ernie sniffed and started to gather his things. He already didn't like the strange boy. He was... nothing the stories made him out to be. Nothing at all! He was supposed to be a hero, a brave, daring, loyal, charming leader, full of pride and dignity, and not at all an uncivilized rascal who can't even speak proper English! Well, he could always show him the errors of his ways, become his best friend, and then lead him towards the envisioned glory and power. Oh yes, Ernie Macmillan would be the best friend of the Boy-Who-Lived, and he would get his share of fame, as well as gratitude of Potter, after he understands just how much Ernie helped him. With those thoughts in mind, the Hufflepuff began his morning preparations for the day, not realizing what slippery slope he was toeing.

Harry was actually out by the lake. He missed the smell of the sea breeze and the cries of the seagulls. He also missed the wonderfully warm weather of Tortuga; the Scottish climate was too chilly for any sailor of the Caribbean.

He had initially left to see the Gamekeeper, Hagrid, to question him about the Kraken that lived in the lake. The family back home would want to know more about the supposedly extinct species of beast. Dad would want to come here and see it, that was a given, so Papa would have to stop him... Naah, maybe it was not really worth the trouble of informing them. But, upon seeing the morning sun's light reflecting upon the lake water, he decided that a morning nap would be a very pleasant plan.

"Alrigh' there Harry?" Hagrid asked, appearing almost out of nowhere. The man startled Harry, who just tilted his head to stare up at the giant man.

"A lil' homesick, mate." He replied. "I be missin' the salty air and the warm sands. This Sco'ish weather be sumthin' I'll never like." Hagrid wondered what he meant by that. Didn't Harry grow up in Little Whinging?

"Well, I don' kno' much abou' that, Harry," the Gameskeeper said. "Bu' I do kno' you'll be late fer breakfast. Prof. Sprout'll be handin' out yer timetables in the Great Hall." Harry nodded and thanked Hagrid as he got up and made his way to the castle.

"Where have you been Harry?" Susan called out to him as he entered the Hall. "Professor Sprout already gave out the timetables." She handed him a piece of parchment. "Here's yours. We have Defense Against the Dark Arts in 10 minutes."

"I'll be there. Need some nibbles to stave off da hung'r, savvy?" he winked at her as he munched on some toast. Susan rolled her eyes at him.

"Yes, yes. I'm '_savvy_'," she said, playfully mocking him. Said boy shrugged and grabbed some muffins that were to his right. He got up to follow Susan to class; she was reading a map of some sort. Apparently, the Hufflepuff upper years make a new map for every set of First Years. It's a project for every 7thyear assigned by Prof. Sprout.

"I can't make head or tails of this thing." Susan was clearly frustrated. They had been going in circles for a good half hour. She had tried to find an older student for directions, but they had found no one.

"Here, let me have a go, love." Harry said as she passed him the map. "Ah, our class be due west of our curren' location." Susan stared dumbfounded as he quickly found them their class. Why hadn't he done this before? Harry chuckled at her expression and answered her silent question.

"Dinnae want ta both'r you," he said with a shrug. "You been on a roll, love. Sides, you been holdin' da map nor' side down…" She blushed at him. Was he gonna call her 'love' all the time? It was a little embarrassing, yet rather appealing for future years.

They entered the DADA class; their year mates were already seated with the Ravenclaws. Prof. Quirrel gestured for them to take the vacant seats next to an Asian girl near the middle rows. Harry smiled at the quiet girl and asked,

"Níhǎo! Zhège wèizi?*" the girl's eyes widened at his words and immediately scooted over to make room for them. "Wǒ de míngzì Harry Potter. Gāoxìng de ràng nǐ de shúrén." Her mouth widened with glee as she began to rapid fire words in a language that Susan couldn't understand at Harry. Susan was once again dumbfounded at his newfound skill.

"Whoa der, love," he interrupted her. "I only understood a lil' o'yer fast-speak." She quieted down, but clearly wanted to say more. "Now, from wha' I gath'r'd from yer babblin, yer name be Li Su, wi' Li bein' yer family name, savvy?" The now named Su nodded happily as Quirrel droned, or rather, stuttered on about what he'd be teaching them.

"What was that, Harry?" Susan asked, not liking being left out of the conversation. Harry turned to her, asking Su to wait a moment.

"It be Mandarin, love." He said. "Su 'ere," he gestured to Su. "be from Fúzhōu, a ci'y in E'stern China. I be askin' if we cou' sit an' introduced meself. She den rapi'-fired a cannon barrage of gibberish 'fore I cou' ge' a word in edge-wise." Su blushed slightly and muttered a quiet hello to Susan. The redhead responded in kind when Quirrel started calling the roll. When he arrived at Harry's name, calling 'Potter, Harry' repeatedly, young Mr. Sparrow pointedly ignored the stuttering professor.

"E-ex-cus-se m-me, M-mr. P-potter," Quirrell stuttered at the young pirate. "I-I've c-called-d y-your n-nam-me s-sev-v-ver-ral t-times; p-please r-resp-pond w-with 'H-here' or 'P-pres-sent'." Harry continued to ignore the man while Su and Susan nudged him repeatedly in an attempt to make him acknowledge the professor.

"What, what?" Harry said, finally turning his attention to the stuttering man. "Oh, 'ello Prof'. 'ow are you?" he asked cheekily. Quirrel sputtered indignantly at young Sparrow.

"W-well P-potter," he stuttered (again…). "I-I've b-b-been c-calling your n-name rep-peatedly and y-you've neg-g-glected to respond."

Harry nodded with exaggerated thoughtfulness and he had a brilliant burst of inspiration. He slowly raised his hand and said, "Here!" Su and Susan giggled along with the rest of the class while Quirrel huffed and resumed his lecture. The rest of the day went about in a similar manner to DADA, with a single exception; Potions.

Potions were held in the upper dungeons of Hogwarts. Harry found himself missing the dungeons back home; the ones back home were proper dungeons, with iron bars and dingy lighting. These were not proper dungeons… Why, the very thought of actually voluntarily entering dungeons of any kind were ludicrous to the young pirate. But he went to appease the two wenches that held his arms captive. When he entered the class ready for a dank, dimly lit cell chock full of students and a grimy professor, the young pirate was a bit surprised with what he saw.

The classroom itself was surprisingly well lit, despite the troublingly small windows near the ceiling. The dungeons themselves were tidy, organized, and almost entirely un-dungeon-like…except for the atmosphere that screamed 'you-shall-never-leave-here-alive'… That was a welcome similarity to the dungeons back home. The young Sparrow was dragged into a three seat desk up front by the two lovely wen…I mean ladies, Susan and Su.

"I've heard from the older years that the professor is scary!" Su whispered to her friends, glancing to the sides to check whether or not said professor was somewhere near.

"Yeah... he's really nasty and hates all students that are not in his house. He is the Head of Slytherin," Susan explained, seeing Harry's blank look.

"Oh... so, he be li'e, 'ye no mah mates, ye not worthy o' mah attenshun', eh?" The young pirate mused slowly. Su and Susan nodded.

"Well, you're right on that, Potter," Macmillan, who was sitting behind them, butted in quite rudely. Harry sniffed at the name the boy used, he thought he made that clear what name he bore now. "Snape is a right bastard and is able to dock points for breathing too loud, but that's reserved for Gryffindors. From what I've heard, we have the highest chance of surviving his classes with house points level relatively unharmed..."

"But he's also the youngest Potion Master to gain his title and a truly brilliant researcher, so he deserves some respect..." Susan added after a moment. Harry just shrugged.

"Y'see, luv, I give respect ta dem who d'serve'n'got tha' right fer their... virtues, lessay. So, if he wan's mah respect fer only 'is titles, an' not fer 'is behavior t'wards us, well then, he ain't gunna get it, savvy?"

Susan nodded thoughtfully, followed by Su and some other students that were listening to their conversation. It seemed that the Hufflepuffs were slowly getting used to his accent, although Harry noticed that some of them were explaining his words to their friends. Well, nevermind, as long as he only had to deal with that stuck-up Macmillan...

The sound of door opening was the cue to fall silent and wait for the show. And indeed, in strode the famed 'Dungeon Bat', or the potioneer, Severus Snape. Harry already got a good visual of him during the feast and breakfast, but the closeness gave him some more insight. The man was clearly sour, probably always in a nasty mood, and seemed to hate being here. Harry blinked, why would someone, who hates to be in a classroom, still become a teacher? It called for more investigation, yes... maybe he could ask Auntie Tia for some tips as to how to deal with the whole potions issue? He knew his brews and poisons, yes, but he had a feeling that his preparation for the life in the wizarding world would be not enough to deal with this man.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he missed the introductory drawl and sneer show, Su had to nudge him quite hard in the ribs to make him realize that the dour man was glaring at him. The young pirate smiled politely, waiting for the man to repeat his question.

"It would seem that our new celebrity is above answering a roll call, what a pity... I'll have to mark that you're not here, then. Mr Potter..."

"P'fessor, wi' all respect, ye cannae ma'k tha' 'e's not 'ere, 'cause 'e's not ev'n on da list," Harry gently rebuffed professor's statement. Snape sneered and looked at the list, frowning. Indeed, somehow there was no 'Harry Potter' there... but how? He then blinked, shook his head slightly and noticed the name, right where it should be. Cheeky brat... and by the way, what was the boy thinking, coming into his classroom dressed like that? Long hair, completely unbecoming of a child, no matter the name they could bear, and those trinkets on his neck and wrists, was he raised by someone from Trelawney's family?

"Mr Potter-"

"Sparrow, p'fessor-"

"Potter, such a headdress is unacceptable in a potions classroom, not to mention in a high-level schooling establishment. Shows just how much respect you have for rules, no doubt the blood of your father-"

"Which one, p'fessor? Papa c'n be a right stickl'r fer rules, y'kno', so I kno' my rules, bu' mah Da' always tol' me tha' rules be more like... guidelines, ya'kno'. Anyhoo, if MAH... 'headdress'... or whuteva's tha' wha' you said... is 'unacceptable', then wha' aboot your hair, eh? No' worried tha' somethin' dang'rous sticks to all tha' grease?"

Harry was looking at the potioneer with a calm, yet innocent expression, a child who just was asking a viable question. Snape's frown grew, until it resembled a storm cloud, and the man sneered disdainfully. Harry had to admit that even some of Papa Will's crewmates couldn't make a sneer like that...

"Just like your father, insolent, rude rulebreaker with all brawn and no brains. Why the Hat put you, a clearly pig-headed Gryffindor, in Hufflepuff, will remain a mystery."

"P'fessor, ye didnae ask me no questions, so I cannae ans'er dem, 'ere'ore ye cannae expect me ta ans'er dem, savvy?"

"Do pay attention to use proper English in my class, Potter, not this... barbaric denomination, belonging in the dredges of society," Snape sneered. "Five points from Hufflepuff for your apparel, plus another five for your cheek, and five points from Gryffindor for letting one of their own be mis-sorted."

Harry didn't even get the chance to argue, because the dour professor slammed the parchment onto his desk and waved his hand, revealing the recipe of a potion they were supposed to make.

"Since Mr Potter decided to waste our time with his rudeness, you may blame him for less time you get to brew. This is a simple Boil Cure potion, something that even the most inane of you should be able to brew," he threw with a sneer. "The list and instructions are on the board, you may start."

Harry read the instructions, frowning slightly. Well, this would work, yes, but Auntie Tia showed him a different recipe, simpler and very effective, though he doubted the classroom would have live tree frogs or ground horns of a horned viper...

"Hey, Harry, how about I get the ingredients, Su will prepare them, and you'll take care of the mixing and so on?" Susan whispered to him, standing up. The boy nodded and smiled to his other crewmate. The Chinese girl also smiled with a giggle. Seeing that both agreed, Susan quickly gathered what they needed and they set to brew. With Su's steady hand in slicing, dicing, shredding and so on, and Harry's impeccable timing when it came to adding the ingredients and stirring the potion, their work was completed just in time. The girls took care of a sample and Harry quickly cleaned their station. As he was returning from the cabinet, where he stashed the ingredients jars, he caught a flicker of falling glass from the corner of his eye and instinctively dived to catch it.

It was... their potion, which was apparently pushed off the teacher's desk by someone. Harry knew the vial couldn't have fallen on its own, since Susan put it safely in the vial rack, so... foul play. And the young pirate had a hunch who was guilty... but he only replaced the vial where it should be with a bright smile, as if he didn't notice the dark glare he got from the professor. Snape sneered at him and then declared the lesson to be over, telling them to scram. Harry and his two lovely crew mates were among the last ones to leave, they wanted to make sure their sample was safe... at least for now. Outside the classroom, they all sighed deeply and hurried to their next class, which was History of Magic.

The rest of the day was rather boring, at least for the young pirate. The history was taught by a ghost, which at first made Harry excited – oh the tales of adventures this teacher had to see! - but the droning of Binns made even him sleepy. He vowed to learn the textbook and some other books by heart and just gave up on trying to keep focused on the lectures. Lunch was a pleasant affair. Again he was happy with his year mates' attitude towards his manners and especially way of speaking – Cedric even ended one of his stories about the teachers with 'savvy', which made Harry chuckle, as the older boy copied his intonation to a 't'. Next they had a free period, which he spent with his new friends, getting to know them a bit better. And then suddenly it was time for dinner, and Harry had no idea where the time went. Curious... the boy kept to his group of friends for now, he'd branch out after he established his base in the Hufflepuff. On that evening, when he was finally in his bed, he thought about his adopted family: how they coped with him not being there. Were they bored? Did they miss him? Who was Auntie Ana torturing now when he wasn't around?... With all those questions whirling around in his head, and a pang of homesickness in his heart, the young Sparrow fell asleep.


End file.
